KANSAS FIRESTONE DEALER SOLD MCVEIGH GETAWAY CAR

JUNCTION CITY, Kan.-There is yet another link between a tire dealer and the Oklahoma City federal building explosion. The car that bombing suspect Timothy McVeigh was driving when he was stopped by police for a traffic violation after the blast was purchased from Tom Manning, manager of a Firestone MasterCare Center in Junction City.

Mr. Manning told TIRE BUSINESS: ``Yes, I sold a used car to Timothy McVeigh. It was a personal sale, and had nothing to do with my store here. And that's all I'm going to say.'' Then he hung up.

According to a published report in the Los Angeles Times, Mr. Manning sold a yellow 1977 Mercury Marquis to Mr. McVeigh five days before the bombing. As part of the sale, Mr. Manning received a Pontiac Sunbird station wagon in return.

As of Aug. 3, when the story ran, Mr. Manning had not yet testified before a federal grand jury because he was on his honeymoon.

The newspaper also reported that another employee of the Firestone dealership, James Fulgium, testified on July 25 that he saw the bombing suspect switch his Arizona license plates from the Sunbird to the Mercury.

Some 90 minutes after the federal building bombing, Mr. McVeigh was arested in Perry, Okla., for a traffic violation.

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